Benchmark Electronics Results Exceed Third Quarter Guidance

ANGLETON, Texas, Oct. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Benchmark Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: BHE), a leading integrated contract manufacturing provider, today announced financial results for the quarter ending September 30, 2014.

President and CEO Gayla J. Delly commented, “We are pleased with the solid performance of our teams during the third quarter as we have continued to support new program ramps and acquisition-integration activities. Additionally, the third quarter business development efforts provided strong bookings with significant production and engineering wins. Despite recent uncertainty in global markets, we are well positioned to execute our strategic plan and continue driving profitable growth.”

Third Quarter 2014 Highlights

• Revenue of $731 million increased 2% from Q2 2014 and 22% from Q3 2013.
• The Company incurred a $5 million charge ($0.09 per share) for the write-down of inventory and provisions to accounts receivable associated with the bankruptcy of GT Advanced Technologies. The charges increased cost of sales by $2 million and SG&A by $3 million.
• New program bookings were $140 million to $160 million.
• Restructuring and integration and acquisition-related costs totaled $2 million.
• Cash flows provided by operating activities were approximately $28 million.
• Cash and cash equivalents balance was $420 million at September 30, 2014.
• Accounts receivable was $534 million at September 30, 2014; calculated days sales outstanding were 66 days compared to 63 days at June 30, 2014 and 64 days at September 30, 2013.
• Inventory was $434 million at September 30, 2014; inventory turns were 6.2 times compared to 6.3 at June 30, 2014 and 5.6 at September 30, 2013.
• Repurchases of common shares totaled $13 million or 545,000 shares.
• Non-GAAP operating margin was 4.0%.

Third Quarter Industry Sector Update
The following table sets forth revenue by industry sector for the referenced quarters.

Fourth Quarter 2014 Outlook

• Revenue between $710 and $740 million.
• Diluted earnings per share between $0.41 and $0.45 (excluding restructuring charges and integration costs).

Conference Call Details
A conference call hosted by Benchmark management will be held today at 10:00 am (Central Time) to discuss the financial results of the Company and its future outlook. This call will be broadcast via the internet and may be accessed by logging on to the Company’s website at www.bench.com.

About Benchmark Electronics, Inc.
Benchmark Electronics, Inc. provides integrated manufacturing, design and engineering services to original equipment manufacturers of computers and related products for business enterprises, medical devices, industrial control equipment (including equipment for the aerospace and defense industry), testing and instrumentation products, and telecommunication equipment. Benchmark’s global operations include facilities in seven countries, and its common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BHE.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release includes financial measures for earnings and earnings per share that exclude certain items and therefore do not follow U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). A detailed reconciliation between the GAAP results and results excluding special items (non-GAAP) is included at the end of this press release. By disclosing non-GAAP information, management intends to provide investors with additional information to further analyze the Company’s performance and underlying trends. Management uses a non-GAAP measure of net income and earnings per share that excludes certain items to better assess operating performance and to help investors compare results with our previous guidance. Our non-GAAP information is not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP information used by other companies. Non-GAAP information should not be viewed as a substitute for, or superior to, net income or other data prepared in accordance with GAAP as measures of our profitability or liquidity. Users of this financial information should consider the types of events and transactions for which adjustments have been made.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the scope of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The words “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “predict” and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, identify forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements may be deemed to include, among other things, the statement “we are well positioned to execute our strategic plan and continue driving profitable growth,” our sales and diluted earnings per share (excluding special items) guidance for the fourth quarter of 2014, as well as other statements, express or implied, concerning: future operating results or the ability to generate sales, income or cash flow; and Benchmark’s business and growth strategies, including expected internal growth and performance goals. Although Benchmark believes these statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those indicated.

All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Benchmark as of the date of this release, and Benchmark assumes no obligation to update them.

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